Pink Ice is Nice: Bruins Melt Chill

AUSTIN, MN – A sellout crowd was treated to a offensive breakout by the Austin Bruins who got three goals from Justin Misiak and two from recently-acquired Jack Murphy, on their way to a 6-2 win over the Coulee Region Chill on Paint the Rink Pink night 2017.

Murphy would start the festivities, opening the scoring in his Bruins debut at 9:27 of the first. Set up by his line-mates AJ Drobot and Travis Kothenbeutel, Murphy one-timed a pass at the top of the crease through the legs of goaltender Joe Marcoullier. Late in the period with about 3:30 remaining, Justin Misiak sped up the right wing and moved around Chill defenseman Cale List before sneaking a shot short-side to make it 2-0. Despite a 14-12 shot disadvantage, the Bruins took their two goal lead into the locker room.

Misiak would score the lone goal of the 2nd, deflecting a Toby Sengvongxay shot at 11:11. It was a double re-direct, first touched by Travis Kothenbeutel, and then by Misiak. Again, the Bruins were outshot 15-8, but Jake Kucharski stood strong, keeping Coulee at bay.

In the 3rd, it took just 19 seconds for Murphy to score his 2nd of the game, going to the net and backhanding a shot over Marcoullier’s blocker to make it 4-0. Before two minutes had elapsed, Misiak completed the hat trick, as Marcoullier had to scramble in the goal crease and couldn’t find the puck before the Bruins’ leading scorer. It was Misiak’s first career hat trick. Seven minutes into the period, Jacob Schmidt-Svejstrup took a major slashing penalty, but the Chill scored two shorthanded goals, both by Isaac Theisen, and made it 5-2. Toward the end of the power play, however, Logan Haskins re-captured the momentum, finishing off a nifty pass from Michael Piehler and giving the Bruins a 6-2 lead, which would hold up as the final score.

Kucharski made 34 stops for his 10th win. It the first regulation win by the home team in 13 Bruins/Chill head-to-head meetings over the last two seasons. The teams will finish the weekend on Saturday night at Green Island Ice Arena in La Crosse. The puck drops at 7:00 on HockeyTV (AWAY Audio) and on the radio airwaves of AM 1480 KAUS or myaustinminnesota.com.